Mythical Dave’s Thoughts of the Week: Vasyl Lomachenko Vs Nicholas Walters, The AIBA’s Latest Proposal, Remembering Sam Langford and More Chicanery From the NFL

By Dave “Mythical” Siderski

Lomachenko Vs Walters Coming Soon

Apparently, the Vasyl Lomachenko vs Nicholas Walters matchup is locked and loaded for April 30th. I’m excited about this one. Lomachenko, the two time Olympic Gold Medalist, is one of the most promising talents in boxing today. He won the WBO Featherweight championship in only his third professional fight, defeating Gary Russell by majority decision in June 2014. This tied a record set by Saensak Muangsurin who also won a world championship in his third fight nearly 40 years earlier. Now Lomachenko takes a serious step up in competition in facing former WBA Featherweight champion Walters. Now Walters is far from a soft touch. This guy is undefeated in 27 professional fights and holds victories over Nonito Donaire and Vic Darchinyan. I’m going to hold off on picking a winner for now. Yes, Lomachenko is a special fighter but is he truly ready for this after only 6 professional fights. We’ll find out on April 30th.

Professionals fighting in the Olympics: Is the AIBA Serious?

Apparently the AIBA is considering a proposal that would open the door for professional fighters to compete in the Olympics. The present rule, enacted in 2013, allows professionals with 15 or fewer professional fights to participate. Under the new proposal, any professional, regardless of experience would now be eligible. Now, I utterly hated this concept when I first heard the story. But after giving it some thought, I’m forced to concede it makes some sense.

Boxing needs to do anything it can within reason to attract new fans and this proposal offers that potential. The Olympics would afford the opportunity of bringing the best fighters in the world together and giving them two weeks of exposure on free television. Now the downside of course is true amateur boxers, who’ve worked their asses off for the chance to represent their country, would get completely screwed under this proposal. I’m also curious how the AIBA would address the possibility of dangerous mismatches. Imagine a first round Olympic matchup at Middleweight featuring “GGG” versus the best Middleweight from the Federated States of Micronesia!
Now, Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury for Olympic Gold at Super Heavyweight? That would be interesting.

This Week in Boxing History: Sam Langford Born March 4, 1883

Friday is the 133rd anniversary of the birth of a boxing pioneer and true legend. Sam Langford is, inarguably, the greatest fighter in boxing history never to win a world title. He is among the top five pound for pound of all-time in my view. The 5’7’’ inch Langford started his career as a Lightweight and competed all the way up to Heavyweight. In spite of his small stature, Sam was a devastating puncher and more than held his own against the Heavyweights of his day.
During his 24 year boxing career, Langford had a record of 210-44-55, 128 KO’s inclusive of newspaper verdicts. For those of you who are counting, that’s well over 300 professional fights. Sam had an incredible 26 wins over fellow International Boxing Hall of Famers trailing only Harry Greb in that category. Just look at some of the names this man defeated: Joe Jeannette, Sam McVea, Joe Gans, Stanley Ketchel, Philadelphia Jack O’Brien, Tiger Flowers and Kid Norfolk among numerous others. In short, this man’s boxing resume was utterly mind blowing. Happy birthday Sam Langford!

NFL Thought of the Week: “Greed is Good!”

Last week arbitrator Stephen Burbank ruled that the NFL improperly withheld approximately $120 million dollars from a shared pool revenue pool with its players. The league attributed this to an accounting error. Apparently Roger Goodell’s dog chewed his homework again. The NFL generated approximately $13 billion in revenue in 2015, over $3 billion more than its closest competitor, Major League Baseball.

Yet in spite of the league’s exploding prosperity over the past decade, labor relations between the players and the owners have never been worse. Just four years ago, in 2011, the owners tried, and succeeded, in strong arming the players into accepting a reduced share of league revenue. Goodell, he of the $34.1 million salary, is a law and order commissioner, dispensing justice with an iron fist in protection of the “shield”. That is, except when it comes to accepting responsibility for his own screw ups (i.e.) Deflate Gate, the Ray Rice fiasco and, most importantly, the NFL’s concussion crisis. The players can’t stand him and more than one prominent media member has called for him to step down. But as long as his constituency of 32 owners are rolling in dough “Jolly” Rodger’s job is safe. It’s just business as usual for the NFL.

That’s it for this week folks before my blurting keyboard gets me in even more trouble this week. Contrary to preliminary reports, my MR Coffee Maker is alive and well as I’m sure my friends and work colleagues appreciate. Suffice to say, I am not a happy camper without my morning caffeine jolt! Stay tuned for my coverage this weekend of the “Diaper Derby” at the local mall. Ike “The Tyke” is the odds on favorite but faces some stiff competition from an outstanding field of tenacious toddlers.

Peace Out!

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